Refrigerated merchandiser with shelf air discharge

ABSTRACT

A refrigerated merchandiser including a case that defines a product display area with an opening. The case includes a base that has an air inlet located adjacent the product display area. The refrigerated merchandiser also includes a canopy that is disposed substantially above the product display area, and that has an air outlet located adjacent the product display area. A primary passageway fluidly connects the air inlet with the air outlet to direct a first refrigerated airflow from the air outlet across the opening. The refrigerated merchandiser further includes a shelf coupled to the case within the product display area, and a duct apparatus removably coupled to the shelf and in direct fluid communication with the primary passageway. The duct apparatus defines a secondary air passageway between the primary passageway and the product display area to direct a second refrigerated airflow from the duct apparatus across the opening below the canopy.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/327,464 filed Apr. 23, 2010, the entire contentsof which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a refrigerated merchandiser including aplurality of air curtains, and more particularly, to a merchandiserincluding a modular shelf air discharge, a primary air curtain, and asecondary air curtain.

In conventional practice, supermarkets and convenience stores areequipped with refrigerated merchandisers that have open display portionsfor presenting fresh food or beverages in a product display area tocustomers while maintaining the fresh food and beverages (i.e., foodproduct) in a refrigerated environment. Typically, refrigeratedmerchandisers include a curtain of cool, refrigerated air that passesdownward across the open face portion of the merchandiser to form aflowing boundary of air between the product display area and the rest ofthe store. The air curtain is generated by an airflow through apassageway of the refrigerated merchandiser that is cooled by one ormore evaporators disposed in the passageway, and that is discharged froman outlet in a canopy of the merchandiser. The air curtain assists inkeeping refrigerated air within the product display area to cool thefood product and protects the product display area from ambient air inthe surrounding store. Warmer ambient conditions surrounding therefrigerated merchandiser increase cooling requirements of themerchandiser and can undesirably increase the temperature of the foodproduct in the product display area.

Most refrigerated display merchandisers use a single, long-throw aircurtain to minimize ambient air infiltration into the product displayarea. Some refrigerated merchandisers use multiple air curtains or doorsto limit entrainment of ambient air that can occur in a single aircurtain refrigerated merchandiser, and to maintain the product displayarea at desired temperatures. Refrigerated merchandisers with two ormore adjacent air curtains include an outer air curtain that has aslightly higher temperature than the inner air curtain, so as to protectthe colder, inner air curtain from the impact of ambient air surroundingthe merchandiser. These multiple air curtain refrigerated merchandisersare designed to limit problems of entrainment of ambient air into thecolder, inner air curtain. However, such designs are still susceptibleto the intrusion of ambient air into the refrigerated air curtain.

SUMMARY

In one construction, the invention provides a refrigerated merchandiserthat includes a case defining a product display area, a canopy, and ashelf coupled to the case within the product display area. The caseincludes a base that has an air inlet located adjacent the productdisplay area. The canopy is disposed substantially above the productdisplay area, and totally has an air outlet located adjacent the productdisplay area. A primary passageway fluidly connects the air inlet withthe air outlet to direct a first refrigerated airflow from the airoutlet across the opening. The merchandiser also includes a ductapparatus that is removably coupled to the shelf and in direct fluidcommunication with the primary passageway. The duct apparatus defines asecondary air passageway between the primary passageway and the productdisplay area to direct a second refrigerated airflow from the ductapparatus across the opening below the canopy.

In another construction, the invention provides a refrigeratedmerchandiser that includes a case defining a product display area, acanopy, and a shelf coupled to the case within the product display area.The case includes a base that has an air inlet located adjacent theproduct display area. The canopy is disposed substantially above theproduct display area, and totally has an air outlet located adjacent theproduct display area. A primary passageway fluidly connects the airinlet with the air outlet to direct a first refrigerated airflow fromthe air outlet across the opening in the form of a primary air curtain.The merchandiser also includes a duct apparatus that is removablycoupled to the shelf and in fluid communication with the primarypassageway. The duct apparatus includes an air discharge adjacent theproduct display area and defines a secondary passageway between theprimary passageway and the air discharge to direct a second refrigeratedairflow from the duct apparatus into the product display area below thecanopy in the form of a secondary air curtain. The primary air curtaincooperates with the secondary air curtain to define a sequential aircurtain that maintains an upper portion of the product display area anda lower portion of the product display area within substantially thesame temperature range.

In another construction, the invention provides a refrigeratedmerchandiser that includes a case defining a product display area, acanopy, and a shelf coupled to the case within the product display area.The case includes a base that has an air inlet located adjacent theproduct display area. The canopy is disposed substantially above theproduct display area, and has a first air outlet and a second air outletin communication with the product display area. The primary passagewayfluidly connects the air inlet with the first air outlet. Themerchandiser also includes duct apparatus that is removably coupled tothe shelf and in fluid communication with the primary passageway. Theduct apparatus includes an air discharge in communication with theproduct display area and defines a secondary passageway between theprimary passageway and the air discharge. The merchandiser furtherincludes a first air curtain that is discharged from the canopy and thatdefines a long throw air curtain to direct a refrigerated airflowgenerally downward from the first air outlet toward the air inlet, asecond air curtain that is discharged from the duct apparatus and thatis spaced inward from the first air curtain, and a third air curtaindischarged from the canopy and spaced outward from the first aircurtain. The second air curtain defines a short throw air curtain todirect a refrigerated airflow generally downward from the air dischargeadjacent the shelf toward the air inlet. The third air curtain defines along throw air curtain to direct an airflow generally downward from thesecond air outlet toward the air inlet. The first, second, and third aircurtains cooperate with each other to maintain an upper portion of theproduct display area and a lower portion of the product display areawithin substantially the same temperature range.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration ofthe detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a refrigerated merchandiser embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of another refrigerated merchandiser embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a shelf of the merchandisers of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the shelf of FIG. 3 and a discharge ductapparatus coupled to the shelf.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the discharge duct apparatus of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the discharge duct apparatus ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the discharge duct apparatus of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the shelf and the discharge duct apparatus in apre-assembled state.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the shelf discharge unit and the shelf duringassembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of components set forthin the following description or illustrated in the following drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orof being carried out in various ways.

FIG. 1 shows one construction of a refrigerated merchandiser 10 that maybe located in a supermarket or a convenience store (not shown) forpresenting fresh food, beverages, and other food product (not shown) toconsumers. The refrigerated merchandiser 10 includes a case 15 having abase 20, a rear wall 25, and a canopy 30. The area partially enclosed bythe base 20, the rear wall 25, and the canopy 30 defines a productdisplay area 35 that stores food product in the case 15 and that isaccessible by customers through an opening 40 adjacent the front of thecase 15. In the illustrated construction, the merchandiser 10 is aself-contained merchandiser with an open front. In other constructions,the merchandiser 10 may include the one or more doors positioned overthe opening 40 to provide access to the product display area 35.

The base 20 is disposed substantially below the product display area 35and can be supported by a floor or support surface (not shown) of thesupermarket. The base 20 defines a lower portion of the product displayarea 35 that can support a portion of the food product in the case 15.The base 20 further defines a lower discharge flue 45 and includes anair inlet 50 located adjacent a lower portion of the opening 40. Thelower discharge flue 45 is in fluid communication with the primary inlet50 and conducts air substantially horizontally through the base 20 fromthe air inlet 50. The air inlet 50 is positioned to receive surroundingair in a substantially vertical direction to direct the surrounding airinto the lower discharge flue 45.

FIG. 1 shows the rear wall 25 that defines a rear portion of the productdisplay area 35 and that cooperates with an outer wall 55 of the case 15to define a rear discharge flue 60. In the illustrated construction, therear wall 25 also includes apertures 65 fluidly coupling the reardischarge flue 60 with the product display area 35 and allowing at leastsome of the airflow in the rear discharge flue 60 to enter the productdisplay area 35. In other constructions, the rear wall 25 may notinclude the apertures 65. The rear discharge flue 60 is in fluidcommunication with the lower discharge flue 45 to direct the airflow ina substantially vertically upward direction.

The canopy 30 is disposed substantially above the product display area35 and defines an upper portion of the product display area 35 that hasan upper discharge flue 70 and a primary outlet 75. The primary outlet75 is disposed adjacent the product display area 35. The upper dischargeflue 70 is in fluid communication with the rear discharge flue 60 andconducts the air substantially horizontally through the canopy 30 towardthe primary outlet 75.

The merchandiser 10 also includes shelves 80 disposed within the productdisplay area 35 to support food product. Each shelf 80 is attached tothe rear wall 25 at one end, and extends outward from the rear wall 25toward the front of the case 15. FIGS. 3, 4, 8, and 9 show one shelf 80including attachment hooks 85 for attaching the shelf 80 to the rearwall 25, a support surface 90 for supporting food product, and a rail95. The rail 95 is disposed below the support surface 90 and extendspartially along the length of the shelf 80 from a middle of the shelftoward the attachment hooks 85. In the illustrated construction, theshelf 80 also includes a light source 100 (e.g., LED light source,fluorescent light source, etc.) positioned on the end of the shelf 80that is located nearest the opening 40 to illuminate food product in theproduct display area 35. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the shelves 80 extendgenerally downward from the rear wall 25 toward the opening 40. In otherconstructions, the shelves 80 may be horizontal. Generally, the shelves80 may be oriented at any desired angle to display food product.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 8, and 9, the merchandiser 10 further includes adischarge duct apparatus 105 that is removably coupled to one shelf 80.In the illustrated construction, the discharge duct apparatus 105 iscoupled to the shelf 80 that is located between the base 20 and thecanopy 30 near a central portion of the product display area 35. Inother constructions, the discharge duct apparatus 105 may be coupled totwo or more shelves 80. In some constructions, the discharge ductapparatus 105 is a modular apparatus such that can be attached to theshelf 80 before or after the shelf 80 is coupled to the rear wall 25. Inother constructions, the discharge duct apparatus can extend the lengthof the case 15.

As shown in FIGS. 5-9, the discharge duct apparatus 105 includes a track110 that removably attaches the apparatus 105 to the rail 95 on theunderside of the shelf 80. Specifically, the track 110 slides into andout of the rail 95 to facilitate installation and removal of thedischarge duct apparatus 105 relative to the case 15 without detachingthe shelf 80 from the rear wall 25, and without removing food productfrom the shelf 80.

With reference to FIGS. 4-7, the discharge duct apparatus 105 alsoincludes a first end 115 that has an air intake portion 120, and asecond end 125 that has an air discharge portion 130 in fluidcommunication with the air intake portion 120 via a discharge passageway135. The discharge duct apparatus 105 tapers narrower from the first end115 toward the second end 125 to channel or direct air from the airintake portion 120 to the air discharge portion 130. The tapered shapeof the discharge duct apparatus 105 also accommodates space for foodproduct stored on the shelf 80 that is below the discharge ductapparatus 105.

The air intake portion 120 is in fluid communication with the reardischarge flue 60 via the apertures 65 or an opening (not shown) in therear wall 25 to receive air from the rear discharge flue 60. As shown inFIG. 6, the air intake portion 120 includes multiple passageways 135 fordirecting air into the discharge duct apparatus 105.

The air discharge portion 130 is smaller than the air intake portion 120and is angled generally downward (as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 7) relativeto the portion of the discharge duct apparatus 105 defining thedischarge passageway 135. A louver or honeycomb can be positioned acrossa discharge outlet 140 of the discharge duct apparatus 105 fordischarging air from the discharge passageway 135 in a generally uniformmanner. In some constructions, the discharge duct apparatus 105 can beintegrally formed as part of one or more shelves 80 such that the shelfincludes the air intake portion 120, the air discharge portion 130, andthe discharge passageway 135.

FIG. 2 shows another construction of a refrigerated merchandiser 150that may be located in a supermarket or a convenience store forpresenting fresh food, beverages, and other food product to consumers.Except as described below, the refrigerated merchandiser 150 is the sameas the merchandiser 10 described with regard to FIG. 1, and commonelements have been given the same reference numerals.

The canopy 30 of the merchandiser 150 has an ambient air passageway 155and a secondary outlet 160 that is located outward from the primaryoutlet 75 adjacent an end of the canopy 30. The secondary outlet 160 isin fluid communication with the ambient air passageway 155, and one ormore fans 165 are coupled to the canopy 30 and in fluid communicationwith the ambient air passageway 155 to direct air from outside the case15 through the canopy 30 toward the secondary outlet 160.

With reference FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower discharge flue 45, the reardischarge flue 60, and the upper discharge flue 70 define a firstportion of a primary air passageway that directs a first airflow 170from the air inlet 50 to the primary outlet 75. The lower discharge flue45, the rear discharge flue 60, and the discharge duct apparatus 105define a second portion of the primary air passageway that directs asecond airflow 175 from the air inlet 50 to the discharge outlet 140.

The first airflow 170 discharged from the primary outlet 75 and thesecond airflow 175 discharged from the discharge outlet 140 defineprimary air curtains 180. The primary air curtain 180 discharged fromthe primary outlet 75 is defined as a long throw air curtain thattravels generally downward from the primary outlet 75 across the opening40 toward the air inlet 50. Specifically, the primary air curtain 180discharged from the primary outlet 75 is directed across an upperinterior portion 185 and a lower interior portion 190 of themerchandiser 10, 150 to cool the upper and lower interior portions 185,190 within a desired temperature range. The primary air curtain 180discharged from the discharge outlet 140 is defined as a short throw ormodular air curtain that travels generally downward a relatively shortdistance from the discharge duct apparatus 105 across the lower interiorportion 190 toward the air inlet 50. The primary air curtain via thedischarge outlet 140 supports the primary air curtain 180 dischargedfrom the primary outlet 75, and helps direct that primary air curtain180 toward the air inlet 50. The primary air curtains 180 dischargedfrom the primary outlet 75 and the discharge outlet 140 are dual orsequential air curtains directed across a lower interior portion 190 ofthe merchandiser 10, 150 that complement each other to maintain asmaller range of product temperatures throughout the case 15.

With reference to the merchandiser 150 illustrated in FIG. 2, theambient air passageway 155 directs a third airflow 195 from the ambientenvironment surrounding the case 15 above the merchandiser 150 to thesecondary outlet 160. The third airflow 195 discharged from thesecondary outlet 160 defines a secondary air curtain 200. The secondaryair curtain 200 is defined as a long throw air curtain that travelsgenerally downward from the secondary outlet 160 toward the air inlet50. The secondary air curtain 200 is located adjacent and outside theprimary air curtains 180 to assist in forming a barrier or bufferbetween ambient air surrounding the case 15 and the product display area35. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the primary air curtains 180 and thesecondary air curtain 200 are directed generally downwardly across thefront of the case 15 adjacent the product display area 35 to cool foodproduct supported on the shelves 80. In some constructions, thesecondary air curtain 200 may be warmer than the primary air curtains180 and cooler than surrounding ambient air.

In another construction, the secondary air curtain 200 can be formed bycapturing cold air adjacent the air inlet 50 and circulating thecaptured air through the merchandiser 150 before discharging thecirculated cold air through the secondary outlet 160. In yet anotherconstruction, the secondary air curtain 200 can be formed by capturingcold air from below the merchandiser 150, circulating the captured coldair through or around the merchandiser 150, and then discharging thecirculated cold air through the secondary outlet 160. In yet anotherconstruction, the secondary air curtain 200 can be formed by ductingcool air from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”)system to the merchandiser 150 and then discharging the cool air throughthe secondary outlet 160.

The primary and secondary air curtains 180, 200 cooperatively defineparallel airflows that reduce the amount of ambient air infiltrationinto the respective merchandisers 10, 150 and that maintain a relativelysmall range of food product temperatures throughout the product displayarea 35. The sequential air curtains 180, among other things, help tomaintain the air temperature in the product display area 35 within astandard temperature range. For example, for medium temperature casesthe temperature range is 32 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit as determined bythe Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) Food Code.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerated merchandisers 10, 150also include some components of a refrigeration system (not entirelyshown) therein. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more fans 205 can belocated in the primary air passageway to generate the airflows 170, 175by drawing air into the primary air passageway from the air inlet 55 andforcing the air through the flues 45, 60, 70. An evaporator 210 isdisposed in the primary air passageway to refrigerate the airflows 170,175. As is known in the art, the evaporator 210 evaporates saturatedrefrigerant as it passes through the evaporator 210 as a result ofabsorbing heat from the airflow passing over the evaporator 210. Theabsorption of heat by the refrigerant allows the temperature of theairflow to decrease as it passes over the evaporator 210.

The discharge duct apparatus 105 can be retrofit into an existingmerchandiser, or alternatively, the discharge duct apparatus 105 can beattached to the shelf 80 before or when the shelf 80 is attached to themerchandiser 10, 150. The discharge duct apparatus 105 is mounted to theunderside of the shelf 80 via attachment of the track 110 to the rail 95while allowing the shelf 80 to be mounted at different angles relativeto horizontal and at different vertical locations within the case 15.Also, the modular discharge duct apparatus 105 can be removed from theshelf 80 to provide access to the shelf 80 and the discharge ductapparatus 105 for service or cleaning without removal of the shelf 80 orother components from the case 15, and without removing food productfrom the shelf 80.

The discharge duct apparatus 105 provides the additional primary aircurtain 180 by channeling refrigerated air from the rear discharge flue60 (e.g., via the apertures 65) toward the front of the shelf 80 tomaintain colder product temperatures in the lower interior portion 190of the merchandiser 10, 150 and to reduce infiltration of ambient airinto the product display area 35. The angle of discharge for the airflow175 from the discharge duct apparatus 105 is determined by theorientation of the air discharge portion relative to horizontal. Theprimary air curtain 180 defined by the airflow 175 can be directedgenerally downward toward the air inlet 50 at any desired angle to coolfood product below the discharge duct apparatus 105 and to supplementthe primary air curtain 180 from the primary outlet 75.

With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dual primary air curtains180 maintain food product supported in the upper interior portion 185and in the lower interior portion 190 approximately within the sametemperature range. The single primary air curtain 180 discharged fromthe primary outlet 75 provides a refrigerated airflow that maintains theupper interior portion 185 within a desired temperature range. As theprimary air curtain 180 discharged from the primary outlet 75 travelsfarther away from the primary outlet 75, the refrigerated airflow warmsup due to heat absorbed from the surroundings. The primary air curtain180 discharged from the discharge outlet 140 provides anotherrefrigerated airflow that complements the primary air curtain 180 fromthe primary outlet 75 to maintain the lower interior portion 190 withinthe desired temperature range by offsetting the increase in temperatureof the long throw primary air curtain 180.

With reference to FIG. 2, the dual air curtain provided by the primaryair curtain 180 discharged from the primary outlet 75 and the secondaryair curtain 200 adjacent the upper interior portion 185 limitinfiltration of ambient air into the upper interior portion 185. Thetriple air curtain provided by the primary air curtains 180 and thesecondary air curtain 200 adjacent the lower interior portion 190 limitinfiltration of ambient air into the lower interior portion 190, therebyhelping to maintain the lower interior portion 190 within the desiredtemperature range. The primary air curtains 180 and the secondary aircurtain 200 reduce infiltration of ambient air into the product displayarea 35 by maintaining a robust refrigerated air curtain along theentire height of the opening 40, thereby reducing energy consumption ofthe merchandisers 10, 150 relative to energy consumed by existingmerchandisers including a single, long-throw air curtain. The aircurtains 180, 200 also provide more control over the temperature of theproduct display area 35 to extend the shelf life of food productsupported on the shelves 80.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in thefollowing claims.

1. A refrigerated merchandiser comprising: a case defining a productdisplay area having an opening, the case including a base having an airinlet located adjacent the product display area; a canopy disposedsubstantially above the product display area, the canopy having an airoutlet located adjacent the product display area; a primary passagewayfluidly connecting the air inlet with the air outlet to direct a firstrefrigerated airflow from the air outlet across the opening; a shelfcoupled to the case within the product display area; and a ductapparatus removably coupled to the shelf and in direct fluidcommunication with the primary passageway, the duct apparatus defining asecondary air passageway between the primary passageway and the productdisplay area to direct a second refrigerated airflow from the ductapparatus across the opening below the canopy.
 2. The refrigeratedmerchandiser of claim 1, wherein the duct apparatus is positioned belowthe shelf.
 3. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the ductapparatus includes a modular unit removable from the shelf withoutremoving the shelf or product from the shelf.
 4. The refrigeratedmerchandiser of claim 1, wherein the first refrigerated airflow definesa long throw air curtain adjacent the product display area, and whereinthe second refrigerated airflow defines a short throw air curtainadjacent the product display area.
 5. The refrigerated merchandiser ofclaim 4, wherein the long throw air curtain and the short throw aircurtain cooperate with each other to define a sequential air curtain,and wherein an upper portion of the product display area and a lowerportion of the product display area are maintained within substantiallythe same temperature range by the sequential air curtain.
 6. Therefrigerated merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the duct apparatusincludes an air intake in communication with the primary passageway andan air discharge angled generally downward toward the base.
 7. Arefrigerated merchandiser comprising: a case defining a product displayarea having an opening, the case including a base having an air inletlocated adjacent the product display area; a canopy disposedsubstantially above the product display area, the canopy having an airoutlet located adjacent the product display area; a primary passagewayfluidly connecting the air inlet with the air outlet to direct a firstrefrigerated airflow from the air outlet across the opening in the formof a primary air curtain; a shelf coupled to the case within the productdisplay area; and a duct apparatus removably coupled to the shelf and influid communication with the primary passageway, the duct apparatusincluding an air discharge located adjacent an end of the shelf anddefining a secondary passageway between the primary passageway and theair discharge to direct a second refrigerated airflow from the ductapparatus into the product display area below the canopy in the form ofa secondary air curtain, the primary air curtain cooperating with thesecondary air curtain to define a sequential air curtain to maintain anupper portion of the product display area and a lower portion of theproduct display area within substantially the same temperature range. 8.The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 7, wherein the duct apparatus ispositioned below the shelf.
 9. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 7,wherein the duct apparatus includes a modular unit removable from theshelf without removing the shelf or product from the shelf.
 10. Therefrigerated merchandiser of claim 9, wherein the shelf includes one ofa rail and a track and the duct apparatus includes the other of the railand the track, and wherein the rail and the track cooperate with eachother to slidably attach the duct apparatus to an underside of theshelf.
 11. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 7, wherein the firstrefrigerated airflow defines a long throw air curtain across the openingto the product display area, and wherein the second refrigerated airflowdefines a short throw air curtain across the lower portion of theproduct display area.
 12. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 11,wherein the long throw air curtain is in communication with the upperportion of the product display area, and wherein the long throw aircurtain and the short throw air curtain are in communication with alower portion of the product display area.
 13. The refrigeratedmerchandiser of claim 7, wherein the duct apparatus includes an airintake adjacent a first end of the duct apparatus and in communicationwith the primary passageway, and wherein the air discharge is adjacent asecond end of the duct apparatus and is angled generally downward towardthe base.
 14. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 13, wherein the airintake includes multiple passageways for directing air toward the airdischarge.
 15. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 13, wherein theduct apparatus tapers narrower from the first end toward the second endto channel air from the air intake to the air discharge.
 16. Arefrigerated merchandiser comprising: a case defining a product displayarea having an opening, the case including a base having an air inletlocated adjacent the product display area; a canopy disposedsubstantially above the product display area, the canopy having a firstair outlet and a second air outlet in communication with the productdisplay area; a primary passageway fluidly connecting the air inlet withthe first air outlet; a shelf coupled to the case within the productdisplay area; a duct apparatus removably coupled to the shelf and influid communication with the primary passageway, the duct apparatusincluding an air discharge in communication with the product displayarea and defining a secondary passageway between the primary passagewayand the air discharge; a first air curtain discharged from the canopyand defining a long throw air curtain to direct a refrigerated airflowgenerally downward from the first air outlet toward the air inlet; asecond air curtain discharged from the duct apparatus and spaced inwardfrom the first air curtain, the second air curtain defining a shortthrow air curtain to direct a refrigerated airflow generally downwardfrom the air discharge adjacent the shelf toward the air inlet; and athird air curtain discharged from the canopy and spaced outward from thefirst air curtain, the third air curtain defining a long throw aircurtain to direct an airflow generally downward from the second airoutlet toward the air inlet, the first, second, and third air curtainscooperating with each other to maintain an upper portion of the productdisplay area and a lower portion of the product display area withinsubstantially the same temperature range.
 17. The refrigeratedmerchandiser of claim 16, wherein the duct apparatus is positioned belowthe shelf and includes a modular unit removable from the shelf withoutremoving the shelf or product from the shelf.
 18. The refrigeratedmerchandiser of claim 17, wherein the shelf includes one of a rail and atrack and the duct apparatus includes the other of the rail and thetrack, and wherein the rail and the track cooperate with each other toslidably attach the duct apparatus to an underside of the shelf.
 19. Therefrigerated merchandiser of claim 16, wherein the duct apparatusincludes an air intake adjacent a first end of the duct apparatus and incommunication with the primary passageway, and wherein the air dischargeis adjacent a second end of the duct apparatus and is angled generallydownward toward the base.
 20. The refrigerated merchandiser of claim 19,wherein the duct apparatus tapers narrower from the first end toward thesecond end to channel air from the air intake to the air discharge.